Hamilton keeps fans guessing

Monza, Italy - Former world champion Lewis Hamilton was tight-lipped about his Formula One future on Thursday amid speculation that he may leave McLaren for Mercedes.

"No," Hamilton said, when asked at a pre-Italian Grand Prix news conference whether he knew for which team he would compete in 2013.

Eddie Jordan, a BBC pundit and former team boss, said the previous day he believed that Hamilton has reached an aggrement with Mercedes for move away from McLaren, the British team he has been racing since his F1 debut in 2007.

At Mercedes, Hamilton would replace the record seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher who would head back into retirement after the completion of his three-year contract.

Hamilton's McLaren contract expires after the season but McLaren, Hamilton's management and Mercedes dismissed that a Mercedes deal was done. Instead, it appeared that Hamilton and McLaren were getting closer to a contract renewal.

"I have a great weekend ahead of me and that's what I'm going to focus on. I don't have a deadline (for a decision). Obviously before next season would be useful. I'm in a great position and I just need to focus on the preparations for these races," Hamilton said in Monza.

The 2008 champion Hamilton has two season wins and hopes for more in Monza in order to enhance his title chances. He currently lies fifth in the standings with 117 points, 47 behind leader Fernando Alonso of Ferrari (164).

Hamilton is coming off a weekend to forget in Belgium; first making the wrong headlines with tweets on car data which were subsequently pulled by team order, and then becoming one of the victims of a start crash caused by Lotus driver Romain Grosjean.